Various types of lid removal tools have been proposed in the past. Such tools have been developed to conveniently remove lids from various types of containers, including plastic bucket containers having lids with a skirt-type peripheral flange fitted over the top of the container or bucket. In some cases, the lids are so securely attached that it is necessary to cut the skirt to remove the lid. Such lids are most commonly used in association with liquid or semi-liquid products such as foodstuffs or paints and sealers. Typically a sharp knife is required to cut through the dense plastic. Such a cutting operation is awkward and creates a significant risk of a slip which is dangerous.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,436 to Russell relates to a combination lid removal tool having a knife blade 22 which can be extended into a cutting position at one end of the tool. However, in this position the knife edge 22 is completely exposed and acts exactly like a regular knife creating all the dangerous cutting potential of a regular knife.
Other safer devices have been proposed, without knife blades. For example, Canadian patents No. 1,181,604 and 1,215,964 both relate to lid prying tools, but tools which do not provide any complementary means to cut the skirt of the bucket lid in a safe, efficient and easy manner to allow the easy removal of the lid from the container. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 4,173,909 to Cleveland relates to a lid lifter for recloseable self-sealing buckets. Again however no cutting edge is provided. Further this invention relies on a hoop attachment around the bucket which is cumbersome and difficult to achieve effectively.